Unfulfilled desire to have children as a symptom of endometriosis

How common is the symptom Unfulfilled desire to have children among people with endometriosis?

56,02% of people with endometriosis reported Unfulfilled desire to have children as a symptom of endometriosis in our survey.

How common is the symptom Unfulfilled desire to have children among people with endometriosis compared to the non-affected group?

22,77% of people with endometriosis suffer from the symptom Unfulfilled desire to have children very strong compared to a prevalence of 1,27% among non-affected individuals.
The following table shows the symptom Unfulfilled desire to have children in people with endometriosis compared to non-affected individuals. The scale ranges from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very strong).

Symptom Unfulfilled desire to have children in endometriosis - comparison with control group

Unfulfilled desire to have children in endometriosis
(n = 1612)
43,98%
4,65%
23,08%
5,52%
22,77%
Unfulfilled desire to have children in non-affected individuals
(n = 157)
91,08%
1,27%
6,37%
0,00%
1,27%

Tabular comparison of the prevalence of Unfulfilled desire to have children

Symptom severity Endometriosis Non-affected Comparison
not at all 43,98% 91,08% -47,10%
slightly 4,65% 1,27% 3,38%
moderate 23,08% 6,37% 16,71%
strong 5,52% 0,00% 5,52%
very strong 22,77% 1,27% 21,49%

Symptoms that could be related to Unfulfilled desire to have children

Based on the datasets, we calculated the Kendall correlation. The following symptoms could be related to Unfulfilled desire to have children.

Symptom name Correlation

Unfulfilled desire to have children in endometriosis

An unfulfilled wish to have children can have many causes, including endometriosis. Conversely, the diagnosis "endometriosis" does not necessarily mean that affected women are infertile or have reduced fertility. Endometriosis and pregnancy are not mutually exclusive. However, between 30 and 50 percent of women with endometriosis experience reduced fertility. There are several potential factors behind this reduction in fertility caused by endometriosis:

Endometriosis is characterized by clusters of cells similar to the endometrium being found outside the uterus. These so-called endometriotic lesions are subject to the hormonal cycle and therefore first grow and then bleed at the end of the cycle. Depending on their location, the blood can be expelled from the body, or it can accumulate, leading to inflammation, cysts, or scarring and adhesions. Specifically, this can affect fertility in the following ways:

  • Menstrual cycle disturbances: Endometriosis can lead to menstrual cycle irregularities, making it harder for affected women to identify their fertile days.
  • Adhesions and scar tissue: If these occur in an ovary or a fallopian tube, transport of the egg into the uterus is impaired or may be impossible on one side.
  • Inflammation: Inflammatory processes can influence the composition of bodily fluids. Among other effects, this can impact sperm motility. The sperm may then no longer be able to reach the egg to fertilize it.
  • Cysts: Cysts can form in areas of endometriotic lesions. If these occur, for example, in an ovary, ovarian tissue is displaced and the function of the affected ovary is reduced or lost.

Even if endometriosis leads to reduced fertility, fertility can often be significantly improved, for example by surgically removing cysts or adhesions. Many affected women are then able to become pregnant naturally. Alternatively, assisted reproduction offers the possibility of fulfilling your wish to have a child.

Did you know that you can also have a big influence on endometriosis symptoms yourself? In the Endo App you learn self-management techniques for endometriosis and find many interactive exercises to relieve symptoms.